A children's theater actress is trying to solve the riddle of the Sphinx, which she met on her way. Girls play ball, deciding the fate of the world. The spirit of the stage enters into a strange confrontation with the rebellious director. Black horses roam the deserted streets of a strange city, where a hairdresser, office, and flower shop hide an unexpected underbelly. A hunt has been announced for the judge. The Pied Piper asks questions that have no answer. Under the thin film of everyday life chaos lurks...Is it possible to resist it? For the first time, under one cover - a kaleidoscope of stories by Marina and Sergei Dyachenko, the best science fiction writers in Europe (according to Eurocon), recognized masters of the average form.